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The 7th Chapter
And Salomon built his own house
in thirteen years space and full finished it. And he built the house
of the wood of Libanon, an hundred cubits long and fifty broad, and
thirty high, four square with rows of Cedar pillars and Cedar beams
along upon the pillars. And the roof was Cedar above on high upon
the beams that lay an high on the pillars, which pillars were forty
and five in number, fifteen on a row, and the spaces between the
pillars were one against another three fold. And all the doors with
the side posts were four square one against another three fold.
And he made a porch of pillars fifty cubits long and thirty
cubits broad: and yet a porch before that with pillars, and a thick
pillar before that. Then he made a porch to sit and judge in, siled
with Cedar throughout all the pavements. And his own house where he
kept residence in another court without that porch was of the same
work. And then Salomon made an house for Pharaos daughter which he
had taken to wife, like unto that porch.
And all these things were of rich stones hewed after a measure
and sawed with saws within and without, even from the foundation
unto that whereon the beams were laid, and on the outside thereto,
toward the great court. And the foundation was of rich stones and
the mighty great stones of ten cubits and of eight. And above were
rich stones hewed according to the same size, and also with Cedar.
And the great court round about was with three rows of hewed stone
and one row of Cedar planks. And likewise was it in the inner court
of the house of the Lord and of the porch of the temple. And king
Salomon sent and fetched one Hiram out of Tyre, a widows son of the
tribe Nephthalim, his father being of Tyre. Which Hiram was a
craftsman in brass, and full of wisdom, understanding and cunning to
work all manner of work in brass. And he came to king Salomon and
wrought all his work. He cast two pillars of brass of eighteen
cubits apiece high, and a string of twelve cubits might compass
either of them about. And he made two head pieces of molten brass to
set on the tops of the pillars, of five cubits long apiece, with
garlands of braided work and hoops of chain work for the head pieces
that were on the pillars, seven for the one and seven for the other.
And he made the pillars, and for either of the head pieces a garland
with two rows of pomegranates to cover them with all. And the head
pieces that were on the tops of the pillars were wrought with lilies
in the porch the space of four cubits of them. And the pomegranates
above and beneath on the wreathen chains that compassed the middle
of the head pieces were in number two hundred on either head piece.
And he set up the pillars in the porch of the temple, and when he
had set up the right pillar, he called the name thereon Jachin, and
when he had set up the left pillar, he called the name thereof Boaz.
And the tops of the pillars were thus wrought with lilies, and so
was their workmanship finished.
Then he cast a sea of brass, ten cubits wide from brim to brim
and round in compass, and five cubits high. And a string of thirty
cubits might compass it about, and under the brim of it as it were
apples compassed and embrased the sea of ten cubits wide in two rows
cast with it when it was cast. And it stood on twelve oxen: of which
three looked North, three West, three South, and three East, and the
sea on high upon them, and all their hinder parts were inward. And
it was an hand breadth thick, and the brim wrought like the brim of
a cup with flowers of lilies. And it contained two thousand baths.
And he made ten bottoms of brass, four cubits long and four
cubits broad apiece, and three high. And the works of the bottoms
was on this manner that the sides were as it were flat boards
between the ledges. And on the flat boards between the ledges were
lions, oxen and Cherubs. And upon the ledges that were above and
beneath the lions and oxen, was joined pendant work. And every
bottom had four brazen wheels, whose axletrees were also of brass.
And in the four corners were undersetters under the lavatory cast
each over against his fellow.
And the stalk of the lavatory was in the middle of the bottom
one cubit high, and a cubit and a half round, and it had knobs
thereon in the bare places which were foursquare not round. And
under the sides were four wheels and their axletrees joined fast to
the bottom. And the height of every wheel was a cubit and an half.
And the workmanship of the wheels was like the work of a chariot
wheel. And the axletrees, the navels, spokes and shafts were all
molten. And the four undersetters in the four corners were of the
very bottoms.
And under the stalk of the lavatory in the midst of the bottom
was there a round foot of half a cubit high. And thereon plain
places and ledges of the self. And he graved in the plain and also
on the ledges, Cherubs, lions and paulmetrees, every where round
about. And on this manner he made the ten bottoms cast work: all of
one measure and one size. Then he made ten lavers of brass
containing forty Baths apiece, and they were of four cubits apiece,
for every one of the bottoms a laver. And he put five of those
bottoms on the right corner of the temple, and other five on the
left: And put the sea on the right corner of the temple Eastward and
toward the South.
And Hiram made pots, shovels and basins, and so furnished all
the work that he made king Salomon for the house of the Lord: that
is to say two pillars and two scalps of the heads that were on the
tops of the two pillars, and four hundred pomegranates upon two
wreaths, two rows on either wreath, to cover the two scalps of the
heads that were on the tops of the two pillars. And the ten bottoms
of brass with ten lavers upon them: and a sea with twelve oxen under
it: and pots, shovels and basins. And all these vessels which Hiram
made to king Salomon for the house of the Lord were of bright brass.
And in the plain of Jordan did the king cast them: even in the clay
of the earth between Socoh and Zarthan. And Salomon left all the
vessels unweighed, for the exceeding abundance of brass that was in
them.
And Salomon made all the vessels that pertained unto the house
of the Lord: the Altar of gold, and the table of gold whereon the
showbread was put. And five candlesticks, for the right side, and as
many for the left, before the quere, of pure gold: with flowers,
lamps, and snuffers of gold: and Bowls, Psalteries, basins, spoons
and fire pans of pure gold: and hinges of gold both for the doors of
the quere, the place most holy, and for the doors of the temple
also.
And so was ended all the work that king Salomon made for the
house of the Lord. And then Salomon brought in the things which
David his father had dedicated in silver, gold and other vessels,
and put them to the treasure of the house of the Lord.
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The 8th Chapter
Then Salomon gathered the elders
of Israel, all the heads of the tribes and ancient Lords of the
children of Israel, unto him to Jerusalem, to bring up the Ark of
the appointment of the Lord out of the city of David which is Sion.
And all the men of Israel assembled unto king Salomon to the feast
that falleth in the month Ethanim which is the seventh month. And
when all the elders of Israel were come, the priests took up the Ark
of the Lord, and brought it and also the tabernacle of witness and
all the holy vessels that were therein. And the priests and the
Levites brought them up. And king Salomon and all the congregation
of Israel that were assembled, and were with him before the Ark, did
offer sheep and oxen that could not be told nor numbered for
multitude.
And so the priests brought the Ark of the appointment of the
Lord unto his place: even into the quere of the temple and place
most holy, under the wings of the Cherubs. For the Cherubs stretched
out their wings over the Ark, and covered both it and also the
staves thereof on high upon it. Howbeit the staves were so long that
the ends of them appeared out of the holy place before the quere,
but were not seen without. And there they be unto this day. And
there was nothing in the Ark save the two tables of stone which
Moses put there at Horeb, when the Lord made an appointment with the
children of Israel after they were come out of Egypt.
And when the priests were come out of the Holy place, then a
cloud filled the house of the Lord, that the priests could not
endure to minister because of the cloud: for the glory of the Lord
had filled the house of the Lord. Then spake Salomon: the Lord said,
that he would dwell in darkness. I have built thee an house to dwell
in, and an habitation for thee to abide in for ever.
And the king turned his face and blessed all the congregation
of Israel, all the congregation standing. And he said: Blessed be
the Lord God of Israel, which hath fulfilled with his hand, that he
spake with his mouth unto David my father saying: from the day I
brought my people Israel out of Egypt, I chose no city among any of
the tribes of Israel, to build an house, that my name might be
there: But I have chosen David to be ruler over my people Israel.
And it was in the heart of David my father, to build an house
for the name of the Lord God of Israel. But the Lord God said unto
David my father: in that it was in thine heart to build an house for
my name, thou didst well, that thou wast so minded. Nevertheless
thou shalt not build the house, but thy son that shall come out of
thy loins, he shall build an house for my name. And the Lord hath
made good his word that he spake. For I stood up in the room of
David my father, and sat on the seat of Israel, as the Lord
promised, and have built an house for the name of the Lord God of
Israel. And I have prepared therein a place for the Ark wherein the
covenant of the Lord is, which he made with our fathers, after he
had brought them out of the land of Egypt. And Salomon stood before
the altar of the Lord in the sight of all the congregation of Israel
and stretched out his hands to heaven and said: Lord God of Israel,
there is no God like thee in heaven above or in the earth beneath,
that keepest appointment and mercy with thy servants that walk
before thee with all their hearts: which also hast kept with thy
servants David my father, that thou promisedest him. Thou spakest
with thy mouth and hast fulfilled with thine hand, as it is come to
pass this day. And now Lord God of Israel, keep with thy servant
David my father, that thou promisedest him saying: thou shalt not be
without one or other before me, sitting on the seat of Israel: How
be it if thy children shall take heed to their ways that they walk
before me, as thou hast walked before me. Now then O' Lord God of
Israel, let thy word be stable which thou spakest unto thy servant
David my father.
But indeed can God dwell on the earth? Behold neither heaven,
nor heaven above all heavens are able to contain thee: how much less
then this house that I have built? but look to the prayer of thy
servant and his supplication O' Lord my God, to give an ear unto the
voice and prayer which thy servant prayeth before thee this day,
that thine eyes may be open upon this house night and day, and upon
the place, of which thou hast said, my name shall be there: that
thou hearken unto the prayer which thy servant shall pray in this
place. And hearken unto the supplication of thy servant and of thy
people Israel which they shall pray in this place: And hear thou up
unto heaven thy dwelling place, and when thou hearest have mercy.
And if any man trespass against his neighbor, and his neighbor take
an *adjuration to adjure him withal, and the adjuration come before
thine altar at this house then hearken thou up to heaven, and work
and judge thy servants, that thou condemn the wicked to bring his
way upon his head, and justify the righteous to give him according
to his righteousness. When thy people Israel be put to the worse
before their enemies, because they have sinned against thee, and
afterward turn again to thee and praise thy name, and pray and make
supplication unto thee in this house: Then hear thou up to heaven
and be merciful unto the sin of thy people Israel, and bring thee
again unto the land which thou gavest unto their fathers.
If heaven be shut up, that there be no rain, because they have
sinned against thee: yet if they pray in this place and praise thy
name and turn from their sins, through thy scourging of them: then
hear thou up to heaven, and be merciful unto the sin of thy servants
and of thy people Israel, that thou show them a good way to walk in,
and give rain upon thy land that thou hast given unto thy people to
inherit.
If there chance *dearth in the land, pestilence, blasting or
withering of corn, or that the fruits be devoured of Grasshoppers or
Caterpillars, or if their enemies besiege them in the land and in
their own cities, or whatsoever plague or sickness chance: then hear
thou up to heaven thy dwelling place, all the prayers and
supplications that shall be made of all men throughout all thy
people Israel, which shall knowledge every man the plague of his own
heart, and stretch forth his hands unto this house, and be merciful,
and work, and give every man according to his ways (even as thou
only knowest every mans heart, for thou knowest the hearts of all
the children of Adam) that they may fear thee as long as they live
upon the earth which thou gavest unto their fathers. And likewise if
a stranger that is not of thy people Israel come out of a far
country for thy names sake (for they shall hear of thy great name
and of thy mighty hand and stretched out Arm) and therefore if he
come and pray at this place, hear thou up to heaven thy dwelling
place and do according to all that the stranger calleth to thee for:
that all nations of the earth may know thy name, to fear thee as do
thy people Israel, and that it may be known that this house which I
have built is called after thy name.
And when they go out to battle against their enemies whither
soever thou shalt send them, and shall pray unto the Lord toward the
city which thou hast chosen and toward the house that I have built
for thy name: hear thou their prayers and supplications, up to
heaven, and judge their cause.
And finally when they shall have sinned against thee (for
there is no man that sinneth not) and thou art angry with them and
hast delivered them to their enemies, that they be carried away
prisoners unto the land of their enemies, whether far or near, yet
if they turn again unto their hearts in the land where they be in
captivity, and return and pray unto thee in the land of them that
hold them captive, saying: we have sinned and have done wickedly and
have trespassed, and so turn again unto thee with all their hearts
and all their souls in the land of their enemies which hold them
captive, and pray unto thee, toward the land which thou gavest unto
their fathers, and toward the city which thou hast chosen, and the
house which I have built for thy name: then hear thou their prayer
and supplication up to heaven thy dwelling place, and judge their
causes, and be merciful unto thy people that have sinned against
thee, and unto all their trespass that they have trespassed against
thee, and get them favour in the sight of them that hold them
captive that they may have compassion on them. For they be thy
people and thine inheritance which thou broughtest out of Egypt,
from the furnace of iron. And let thine eyes be open unto the prayer
of thy servant and unto the prayer of thy people Israel, to hearken
unto them, in all that they call unto thee for. For thou didst
separate them to be thine inheritance, above all the nations of the
earth, as thou saidest by the hand of Moses thy servant, when thou
broughtest our fathers out of Egypt O' Lord Jehovah.
And when Salomon had made an end of praying all this prayer
and supplication unto the Lord, he arose from before the altar of
the Lord and from kneeling on his knees and stretching of his hands
up to heaven and stood and blessed all the congregation of Israel
with a loud voice saying: Blessed be the Lord that hath given rest
unto his people Israel according to all that he promised: so that
there is not one word escaped of all the good promises which he
promised by the hand of Moses his servant. And the Lord our God be
with us, as he was with our fathers, and forsake us not neither
leave us, but that he bow our hearts unto him, to walk in all his
ways, and to keep his commandments, ordinances and customs which he
commanded our fathers. And these my words which I have prayed before
the Lord, be nigh unto the Lord our God day and night, that he
defend the cause of his servant and of his people Israel evermore,
that all nations of the earth may know that the Lord, he is God and
none but he. And I pray God that your hearts may be sound with the
Lord our God, to walk in his ordinances and to keep his laws as we
do this day.
And the king and all Israel with him, offered offerings before
the Lord. And the peaceofferings that Salomon offered unto the Lord,
were twenty two thousand oxen and an hundred and twenty thousand
sheep: And so the king and all the children of Israel dedicated the
house of the Lord. And the same day the king hallowed the middle of
the court that is before the house of the Lord: for there he offered
burntofferings and meatofferings and the fat of the peaceofferings,
because the brazen altar that was before the Lord, was too little to
receive the burntofferings and meatofferings and the fat of the
peace offerings.
And Solomon held that same time an high feast and all Israel
with him, a mighty congregation, even from the coasts of Hemath unto
the river of Egypt, before the Lord our God, seven days and yet
seven days, that is, fourteen days. And the eighth day he sent the
people away. And they blessed the king and went unto their tents
joyous and glad in heart for all the goodness that the Lord had
showed unto David his servant and to Israel his people.
*adjuration: appeal to earnestly. *dearth (famine)
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The 9th Chapter
And when Salomon had finished
the building of the house of the Lord and of the kings palace, and
of all that his desire and lust was to make: the Lord appeared unto
him again, as he appeared to him at Gabaon. And the Lord said unto
him: I have heard thy prayer and intercession that thou madest
before me, and have hallowed this house which thou hast built, to
put my name there for ever and mine eyes and mine heart shall be
there perpetually. And if thou wilt walk before me, as David thy
father walked, in pureness of heart and plainness, to do all that I
have commanded thee, and shalt keep mine ordinances and customs:
then I will stablish the seat of thy kingdom upon Israel for ever,
as I promised to David thy father saying: Thou shalt not be without
one or other upon the seat of Israel.
But and if ye and your children shall turn away from after me,
and shall not keep mine ordinances which I have set before you, but
shall go and serve other Gods and bow yourselves unto them: then I
will weed Israel out of the land which I have given them. And this
house which I have hallowed for my name, I will put out of my sight.
And Israel shall be a proverb and a fable unto all nations. And this
house which is so high, all that pass by it shall be astonished and
shall hiss and say: why hath the Lord dealt on this manner with this
land and with this house? And it shall be answered them, because
they forsook the Lord their God which brought their fathers out of
the land of Egypt, and have taken hold upon other Gods and have
stooped unto him and served them: therefore hath the Lord brought
upon them all this evil. Then at the end of twenty years in which
Salomon had built the two houses, that is to *wete, the house of the
Lord and the kings palace: because Hiram the king of Tyre had
supported him with Cedar, fir and gold, as much as he desired:
therefore Salomon gave Hiram twenty cities in the land of Galilee.
And when Hiram was come from Tyre to see the cities which Salomon
had given him, they pleased him not. Wherefore he said: what cities
are these which thou hast given me, my brother? and he called them
the land of Cabull unto this day. This Hiram had sent the king six
score hundredweight of gold. And this is the sum of the tribute,
which king Salomon raised to build the house of the Lord and his own
house, and Mello and the walls of Jerusalem, and Hezer, and Magedo,
and Gazer.
For Pharao king of Egypt went up and took Gazer and burnt it
with fire, and slew the Cananites that dwelt in the city, and gave
it for a present unto his daughter that was Salomons wife. And
Salomon built Gazer and Beth Horon the nether: and Baalath and
Thamar in the wilderness that is in the land: and all the store
cities that Salomon had, and cities for his chariots, and cities for
his horsemen and all that his lust was to build in Jerusalem and
Libanon and in all the land of his Kingdom.
And all the people that were left of the Amorites, Hethites,
Pherethites, Hevites and Jebusites, which were not of the children
of Israel, the children of the said nations that were left in the
land, because the children of Israel were not able to destroy them,
did Salomon make tributaries unto this day. And of the children of
Israel did Salomon make no bondmen. But they were men of war and his
servants and his lords and Captains and rulers of his chariots and
of his Horsemen. And these many lords that oversaw the work had
Salomon, five hundred and fifty, which ruled the people that wrought
in the work.
And Pharaos daughter came up out of the city of David unto the
house which Salomon had built for her. And after that he built
Mello. And thrice a year did Salomon offer burntofferings and
peaceofferings upon the altar which he had built unto the Lord, to
burn the fat thereon: which altar is before the Lord.
And when king Salomon had made the house perfect, he made
ships in Azion Gaber which is beside Eloth, on the brink of the red
sea, in the land of Edom. And Hiram sent by ship also of his
servants, that were shipmen and expert in the sea, with the servants
of Salomon. And they went to Ophir and fetched from thence gold, to
the sum of four hundred and twenty two talents, and brought it to
Salomon.
*wete (know sharply)
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The 10th Chapter
And the queen of Saba heard of
the wisdom of Salomon concerning the name of the Lord, and came to
prove him with riddles. And she came to Jerusalem with a mighty
great multitude of Camels that bare sweet odors and gold exceeding
much, and precious stones. And when she was come to Salomon, she
communed with him of all that was in her heart. And Salomon
expounded her all her questions, that there was not one thing hid
from the king which he expounded her not.
And when the queen of Saba had seen all Salomons wisdom and
the house that he had built, and the meat of his table, and the
sitting of his servants, and the standing of his servitors and their
apparel, and his butlers and his sacrifice that he offered in the
house of the Lord, she was astonished. Then she said to the king:
the word I heard in mine own land of thy deeds and wisdom, is true.
How be it I believed it not, till I came and saw it with mine eyes.
And see, the one half was not told me: for thy wisdom and goodness
exceedeth the fame which I heard. Happy are thy men: and happy are
these thy servants, which stand ever before thee and hear thy
wisdom. And blessed be the Lord thy God which had a lust to thee, to
set thee on the seat of Israel, because the Lord loved Israel for
ever, and therefore made thee king, to do equity and righteousness.
And she gave the king an hundred and twenty talents of gold,
and of sweet odors exceeding much, and precious stones. There came
never after such abundance of sweet odors as the Queen of Saba gave
to king Salomon. And thereto the ships of Hiram that brought gold
from Ophir, brought from Ophir great plenty of Almuge trees and
precious stones. And king Salomon made of the Almuge trees pillars
in the house of the Lord in the kings palace, and made harps and
psalteries for singers. There came no more Almuge trees so, nor was
any more seen unto this day. And king Salomon gave unto the Queen of
Saba all her desire that she asked of him: besides that he gave her
with his own hand. And so she returned unto her own country with her
servants.
The weight of gold that came to Salomon in one year, was six
hundred three score and six talents of gold, besides that he had of
chapmen and merchants of *Poticaries and of all the kings of Araby
and of the Lords of the country. And king Salomon made two hundred
bucklers of beaten gold, six hundred sickles of gold went to a
buckler. And he made three hundred shields of beaten gold, three
pounds of gold going to a piece, and put them in the house of the
wood of Libanon.
And the king made a great seat of Ivory and covered it with
precious gold. And the seat had six steps. And the top of the seat
was round behind his back with pommels on either side on the place
where he sat, and two Lions standing beside the pommels. And there
stood twelve lions on the steps, six on a side. There was none like
seen in any kingdom. And all king Salomons drinking vessels were of
gold, and all the vessels of the house of the wood of Libanon were
of pure gold. And as for silver it was nothing worth in the days of
Salomon. For the sea ships which the king had in the sea, with the
ships of Hiram, came every third year laden with gold, silver,
Ivory, apes and peacocks. And so king Salomon exceeded all the kings
of the earth in riches and wisdom. And all the world resorted to
Salomon, to hear his wisdom, which God had put in his heart. And
brought him every man his present, vessels of silver and of gold,
and of raiment, harness, sweet odors, horses and Mules, year by
year. And Salomon gathered together chariots and horsemen: so that
he had a thousand and four hundred chariots, and twelve thousand
horsemen, which he bestowed in the chariot cities and with the king
at Jerusalem.
And the king made silver in Jerusalem as plenteous as stones,
and Cedar as plenteous as mulberry trees that grow in the valleys.
And Salomons horses came out of Egypt from Keva: the merchants
fetched them from Keva at a price. A chariot came out of Egypt for
six hundred sickles of silver, and an horse for an hundred and
fifty. And even so by the hands of the said merchants, horses were
brought out for all the kings of the Hethites and for the kings of
Syria.
*Poticaries (apothecaries; medicines)
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The 11th Chapter
But king Salomon loved many
outlandish women: the daughter of Pharao: and of the Moabites,
Ammonites, Edomites, Zidonites and Hethites, even of nations of
which the Lord said unto the children of Israel, see ye come not at
them, nor let them come to you: for surely they will turn your
hearts after their Gods. Nevertheless to such Salomon clave and fell
in love with them. And he had seven hundred very Queens and three
hundred concubines which turned always his heart. For when Salomon
was old, his wives turned his heart after other Gods: so that his
heart was not perfect with the Lord his God, as was the heart of
David his father.
And Salomon followed Astaroth the God of the Zidons, and
Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites. And Salomon wrought
wickedness in the sight of the Lord and continued not after the Lord
as did David his father. After that Salomon built an altar for
Chamos the abomination of the Moabites in the hill that standeth
before Jerusalem, and unto Moloch the abomination of the children of
Ammon. And likewise did he for all his outlandish wives which burnt
cense and offered unto their Gods. Then was the Lord angry with
Salomon because his heart turned from the Lord God of Israel which
appeared unto him twice, and gave him a charge of this thing that he
should not follow other Gods. But he kept not that which the Lord
commanded him: whereupon the Lord said to Salomon: for as much as
this is done of thee, and thou hast not kept mine appointment and
mine ordinances which I have commanded thee, therefore I will rend
the kingdom from thee, and will give it to thy servant.
Notwithstanding in thy days I will not do it, because of David thy
father: but I will take it from thy son. How be it I will not take
away all: but will give one tribe to thy son, because of David my
servant and because of Jerusalem which I have chosen.
And the Lord stirred up an adversary unto Salomon, one Hadad
an Edomite and of the kings lineage of Edom. For when David was in
Edom, and Joab the captain of the host was gone up to bury them that
were slain: and had slain all the men children in Edom, for six
months did Joab remain there and all Israel, till he had destroyed
all the men children in Edom. And this Hadad fled and certain other
Edomites of his fathers servants with him, to go to Egypt, Hadad
being yet a little lad. And they arose out of Madian and went to
Pharan, and took men with them out of Pharan and came to Egypt unto
Pharao king thereof, which gave him an house, and appointed him
victuals and gave him lands.
And Hadad gat great favour in the sight of Pharao, so that he
gave him to wife the sister of his own wife, the sister of
Thahaphnes the Queen. And the sister of Thahaphnes bare him Senubath
his son. And Thahaphnes weaned him in Pharaos house. And he was in
Pharaos house among the sons of Pharao. And when Hadad heard say in
Egypt that David was laid to sleep with his fathers, and that Joab
the captain of the host was dead also, he said to Pharao let me
depart, that I may go to mine own country. Then said Pharao unto
him: what lackest thou here with me, that thou wouldest go to thine
own country? And he said, nothing: how be it let me go. And God
stirred up another adversary, one Razon the son of Eliada, which
fled from Hadadezer king of Zobah his master. Which Razon gathered
men unto him and became captain over the company, when David slew
them. And they went to Damasco and dwelt therein, and reigned in
Damasco. And he was an adversary to Israel all the days of Salomon,
with the evil that Hadad did, which abhorred Israel and reigned in
Siria.
And Jeroboam the son of Nabat an Ephrathite of Zaredah (whose
mother was called Zeruah and was a widow and Salomons servant)
lifted up his hand against the king. And hereof came it, that he
lifted up his hand against the king. Salomon built Mello and mended
broken places in the city of David his father. And this fellow
Jeroboam was an active man. And when Salomon saw the young man, that
he wrought so lustily in the work, he made him ruler over all the
charges of the house of Joseph. And it chanced at that season as
Jeroboam was gone our of Jerusalem, that the prophet Ahiah the
Silonite met him by the way, having a new mantle on him, and they
two alone in the field. And Ahiah caught the new mantle that was on
him and rent it in twelve pieces, and said to Jeroboam: take thee
ten pieces. For this saith the Lord God of Israel: behold, I will
rent the kingdom out of the hands of Salomon and will give ten
tribes to thee, and he shall have one, for my servant Davids sake
and for Jerusalem the city which I have chosen out of all the tribes
of Israel: because they have forsaken me, and have bowed themselves
unto Astaroth the God of the Zidons, and to Camos the God of the
Moabites and to Milcom the God of the children of Ammon, and have
not walked in my ways, to do that pleaseth me, and mine ordinances
and customs, as David his father.
How be it I will take none of the kingdom out of his hand: but
will make him chief all his life long, for David my servants sake,
which I chose: because he kept my commandments and ordinances. But I
will take the kingdom out of his sons hand and will give unto thee
ten tribes of it: and will give his son one, that David my servant
may have a light always before me in Jerusalem, the city which I
have chosen me, to put my name there. And I will take thee, and thou
shalt reign upon all that thy soul desireth and shalt be king over
Israel. And if thou shalt hearken unto all that I command thee, and
shalt walk in my ways and do that is right in my sight, that thou
keep mine ordinances and commandments as David my servant did: then
will I be with thee and build thee an house that shall continue, as
I built for my servant David, and will give Israel unto thee. And
therewith will I vex the seed of David, but not for ever.
And Salomon sought to kill Jeroboam: wherefore Jeroboam arose
and fled into Egypt unto Sesak king of Egypt and continued there
until the death of Salomon. And the rest of the Acts of Salomon and
all that he did, and his wisdom are written in the book of the Acts
of Salomon. And the time that Salomon reigned in Jerusalem upon all
Israel, was forty years. And then he laid him to rest with his
fathers, and was buried in the city of David his father, and
Rehoboam his son reigned in his stead.
|
Chapters 1-6
| 7-11
| 12-18
| 19-end |
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